Egypt firmly nixed Monday the idea of allowing Gazan civilians into the country to escape the upcoming IDF offensive into Gaza City, which will displace up to a million residents.

In an interview with CNN, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty noted two major reasons for Cairo refusing to let Gazans leave through the only border open to them, at Rafah in the southern tip of the Strip.

“Any kind of displacement would be a big risk, and we will not allow any single party to risk our national security and our sovereignty … in our border,” he said.